Peres: I believe Obama, but Iran may be 'bluffing'

On eve of US president's visit, Israeli counterpart tells CNN 'he is a man that thinks before he speaks, but Iranians capable of bluffing others and bluffing themselves'

Ynet פורסם: 19.03.13, 23:54

President Shimon Peres said he was "free of doubts" that his American counterpart Barack Obama would use military force if necessary to stop Tehran from developing a nuclear bomb.

 

"I think he is a man of values. He is a man that I respect his words. And he is a man that thinks before he speaks," Peres told CNN on Tuesday.

 

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Last week Obama told Israel's Channel 2 he believes Iran is "over a year or so" away from being able to develop a nuclear weapon and that the US will use "all options" to stop it.

 

צילום: AP
Photo: AP (צילום: AP)

 

Addressing the American leader's assessment, Peres told CNN "I do believe that the United States is following carefully the time and the progress.

 

"So a year is an estimation. If something were to happen earlier, I am sure we will pay attention to the change," he said.

  

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Asked if he believed Tehran viewed the White House "all options" approach as serious, Peres said: "That I am not sure. I am not sure whether the relations between Iran and the truth are so intimate. I think they are capable of bluffing others and bluffing themselves."

 

The Israeli president played down disagreements between US and Israeli intelligence assessments of Iran's progress toward a nuclear bomb.

 

"There may be some differences in timing, but basically we support the policy of the president of the United States," Peres said.

 

Obama told Channel 2 that Iran is "not yet at the point I think where they've made a fundamental decision to get right with the international community, but I do think that they're recognizing that there's a severe cost for them to continue on the path that they're on and that there's another door open."